Tag: volunteers

Reminder: Dementia Awareness eLearning Available

A quick reminder to access the Dementia Awareness e-learning before December 2023.

This is a quick reminder that our Dementia Awareness e-learning course is still available for completion on the Age UK e-learning platform until December 2023. Of those that have already completed this training, 93% would recommend this course to a colleague. Find out full details below, including how to access it.

How do I access this e-learning?

If you already have an eLearning account, you will be able to log in here and search “dementia e-learning”.

If you need to sign up, please complete this form.

Please note that registration to the e-learning site may take a few days. You will receive an email with your log in information once you have been registered.

If you have any questions on access to the e-learning site, please contact: adviceunit@ageuk.org.uk

What other e-learning is available from Age UK?

For a number of years, Age UK has provided a range of e-learning options to support Partners’ delivery of training online to your staff and volunteers. This includes the Age UK e-learning Platform and Grey Matter Learning – find out all about both training platforms here.

Sources of Support Autumn/Winter 2022 – Get the latest help and support for your organisation

The latest “Sources of Support” document from Age UK’s Services & Partnership Affairs Division is available to download with useful guidance and resources.

Age UK’s Services & Partnership Affairs Division (SPA) is committed to help local Age UKs to continue delivering excellent, sustainable services which meet the needs of older people in your local communities. The latest “Sources of Support” guide is available to view and download below, featuring a range of useful resources for local Age UKs over the coming months.

We are in no doubt that this winter is going to be particularly challenging. The dramatic increase in the cost of living is impacting not only on older people themselves but also on the community groups and organisations that they look to for support in difficult times, including local Age UKs.

With this in mind, the latest “Sources of Support” guide draws together a range of useful resources which can either be accessed directly (via this site, The Loop or through external organisations) or by contacting your Regional Link. (Contact details for Regional Links are listed in the guide).

In this latest edition, there’s up-to-date insight on managing your organisation’s finances and you can also find out more about Age UK’s e-Learning platform, as well as other resources that can help you to support staff’s development and emotional resilience.

We want this guide to be as useful as possible, so please let us know if you have found it helpful or if you have any questions, comments or concerns please email partnership@ageuk.org.uk.

Sources of Support – Autumn/Winter 2022-23Download

New resources to help your organisation prepare for your Charity Quality Standard assessment

View template documents and introductory videos to the Charity Quality Standard (CQS) that you can share with your employees, volunteers, and Boards.

Following requests from local Age UKs at our ‘Introduction to the CQS webinars’, we have developed template documents that you can personalise and give to your employees, volunteers and trustees to describe the Charity Quality Standard (CQS) and the type of questions that the assessor may want to explore with them. We have also created a video introduction to the CQS which may be useful. Please read on for full details of both resources.

The template documents can be found on the right hand side of the page here.

To see the video that provides a full introduction to the CQS and how it will be assessed, please click here.

The video talks you through each element of the Standard and assessment process in detail and provides links to the guidance. Also featured are FAQs from the webinar sessions so you can hear the answers to the questions raised.

If you’re having any trouble accessing the loop to view the links above, please email theloop@ageuk.org.uk.

Upcoming Event: Updates from our Loneliness Community of Interest 

Book your place at the upcoming update event from the Age UK Network’s Loneliness Community of Interest. The event will be held on Wednesday 8th June, 10.00 – 11.30.

There are a few places left at the Age UK Update Event exploring the work of the Loneliness Community of Interest. This event will be held on Wednesday 8th June, 10.00 – 11.30. If you would like to take part, please register using the link here or read on for full details.

Please join us to hear about the discussions we have had, input into our proposed approaches but also to hear about our learning focusing on:

  • Identifying and assessing loneliness risk and need 
  • Guided Conversations and goal setting
  • Community asset mapping and local partnerships 
  • Delivering a multi stranded offer to older people 

The Update Event will be held on Wednesday 8th June 2022, 10.00 – 11.30. If you would like to take part, please register using the link here. 

For further information about the Event please contact: 

Sarah Jewell: sarah.jewell@ageuk.org.uk or Lauren Chalk: lauren.chalk@ageuk.org.uk 

Upcoming Event: Updates from our Loneliness Community of Interest 

Book your place at the upcoming update event from the Age UK Network’s Loneliness Community of Interest. The event will be held on Wednesday 8th June, 10.00 – 11.30.

The Age UK Network’s Loneliness Community of Interest has been meeting regularly since December and are now hosting an event to provide an update on their progress. The Update Event will be held on Wednesday 8th June, 10.00 – 11.30. If you would like to take part, please register using the link here or read on for full details.

Since the launch of the Age UK Network’s Loneliness Community of Interest on the 1st of December 2021, four groups have been regularly meeting to explores interrelated themes. These are: 

  1. Routes into Loneliness 
  2. Upskilling the Workforce 
  3. Partnership Working 
  4. Multi-stranded Offer 

We would like to bring together local Age UKs from across the Network to hear about what we have been doing and to comment on the thoughts and ideas we have had around supporting older people who are feeling lonely. 

This session will be facilitated by Age UK and will be an opportunity to hear about the topics we have explored, discuss proposed approaches, and to hear about our learning which has focussed on: 

  • Identifying and assessing loneliness risk and need 
  • Guided Conversations and goal setting
  • Community asset mapping and local partnerships 
  • Delivering a multi stranded offer to older people 

The Update Event will be held on Wednesday 8th June 2022, 10.00 – 11.30. If you would like to take part, please register using the link here. 

For further information about the Event please contact: 

Sarah Jewell: sarah.jewell@ageuk.org.uk or Lauren Chalk: lauren.chalk@ageuk.org.uk 

“The Generation Myth” – Book your place at this year’s David Hobman Lecture

Join Professor Bobby Duffy for the 2022 David Hobman Lecture, discussing the myths and stereotypes around generational trends.

The Annual David Hobman Lecture is hosted by the King’s Institute of Gerontology and explores concepts of ageing and gerontology. This year’s event takes place on Monday 13 June from 17:30 to 20:30 and can be attended online or in person (NB – the lecture itself runs from 18:00 to 19:30). Bobby Duffy, Professor of Public Policy and Director of the Policy Institute, will be discussing the myths and stereotypes around generational trends. Click here for full details, including how to book your place.

Carers Week 2022 – Partner Pack

With Carers Week approaching, Age UK’s Campaigns Team have put together a list of ways that local Age UKs can get involved.

This year, Carers Week will take place from 6th – 12th June and will focus on ensuring that carers are Visible, Valued and Supported. To support your participation in the week’s festivities, we have detailed some ways local Age UKs can get involved below, including some infographics and template wording for social media and a template letter to local media.

As you know, Carers Week is an annual celebration of the role unpaid carers have in providing thousands of hours of care to friends family and loved ones and also a chance to focus on how they could be better supported.

The theme for this year’s awareness week is ensuring carers are Visible, Valued and Supported. As well as highlighting the important work of unpaid carers, the coalition of charities delivering Carers Week will call on the Government to implement a proper plan to provide respite and recovery for unpaid carers who rarely, if ever, get a break.

To support your participation in the week’s festivities, we have detailed below some ways local Age UKs can get involved. Don’t forget to promote the services and incredible work you do to support carers!

If you have 5 minutes…

Add Carers Week activities to the website

Are you running an activity during Carers Week? Add it to the Carers Week website.

Whether your activity is online, or you are running a face-to-face event, make sure everyone knows how to get involved.

If you have 10 minutes…

Promote Carers Week online

Use Carers Week 2022 as an opportunity to share the experiences of older carers and to promote your services and events for carers.

Use these graphics featuring statistics about older carers to highlight the experience of older carers in the UK.

Use your social media accounts to highlight your carers services and to promote any events you might be delivering during the week. You can also find template Facebook and Twitter posts, focusing on older carers and to promote your services, here.

You can also find official Carers Week graphics and resources for download here.

If you have longer…

Send a letter to editor

Use this template letter to editor to write to your local newspaper and highlight the experiences of carers and the need for a proper recovery and respite plan to ensure they get the breaks they need.

Your local newspaper may have a long lead-in time, so try and submit the letter as soon as possible, but be clear the letter is for publication during Carers Week (6th – 12th June). The letter is embargoed until 00:01 on 6th June.

Storytellers

Do you know any carers or older people who are supported by an unpaid carer who would be willing to share their story? Please let us know if you know any possible storytellers and if they would be willing to provide a quote for your Carers Week promotion.

Get in touch!

We will have more materials to share with you once the Carers Week report is ready to be published. In the meantime, if you have any queries, please contact luke.pilot@ageuk.org.uk.

Engage Britain seek ideas to improve conditions for those working in social care

Engage Britain are seeking ideas to make things better for those who work in care. Find out how you can share your ideas below.

Engage Britain, an independent charity, is bringing people together to help improve social care for all. They’re asking for people with experience of social care – whether through working in it, drawing on it, or running services – to share their thoughts on what could be done to make things better for those who work in care. Do you want to help make things better for people who work in social care? Share your Ideas for Change here.

Engage Britain want to make sure as many people as possible with experience and expertise in social care have the chance to get involved and have their say on solutions.

Click here to share your Ideas for Change, as well as provide feedback on what other people have said. The platform is live until 22nd May.

The Age UK Summer Raffle 2022 – Order your tickets by May 16th!

It’s not long until the Age UK Summer Raffle opens! Please make sure to order your free tickets before the cut-off date of Monday May 16th.

It’s not long until the Age UK Summer Raffle opens! So please take this opportunity to sell raffle tickets to benefit your local Age UK. As with previous raffles, your organisation keeps 100% of everything you sell! Each Raffle ticket not only gives you the opportunity to raise money to benefit your local area, but also gives someone within your community the chance to win a great prize. Read on for full details, including how to order your free tickets before the cut-off date of Monday May 16th. There are a limited number of tickets for each raffle, so please make sure you place your order quickly or you might miss out.

The prizes in the Age UK Summer Raffle 2022 are:

1st prize: £25,000 or 7 nights of luxury in a Scottish castle7th prize: £300
2nd prize: £5,000 or a new garden furniture and BBQ8th prize: £150
3rd prize: £2,500 or a unique 3-night stay on a double decker9th prize: £100
4th prize: £2,00010th prize: £50
5th prize: £1,5002,500 x £10
6th prize: £1,0002,500 x £5

How does it work?

We give you raffle tickets, at no cost to you. You sell them and send the ticket stubs back to us. You just need to ensure that you return the ticket stubs to the freepost address provided with your tickets by 19th August 2022. Tickets are in high demand, so please ensure you make every effort to sell them.

Important details:

  • Tickets to be ordered by 16th May 2022
  • Tickets mailed out to you in the beginning of June 2022
  • Tickets to be returned to us by 19th August 2022 (please allow for transit time when returning tickets)
  • The draw closes on 2nd September 2022
  • The draw will take place on 9th September 2022

Ticket Selling Requirements

As per the requirements of the Gambling Act:

  • You must not sell to customers under the age of 18. If the name on a winning ticket is that of a person under 18 they will not be able to claim the prize.
  • You must not sell tickets in the street or door to door.
  • You must not give tickets away for others to sell.

We do not capture customer details from these tickets however we do need their full details on the stub to be able to inform them if they’ve won. Without full name and address details, it will be very difficult to fulfil the prizes to these winners, as we now have 5,000 prizes it will be very difficult to contact all winners quickly and hold up the posting of the Raffle results.

How to order

To place your ticket order, email both nima.tamang@ageuk.org.uk and siana.ko@ageuk.org.uk with all of the below information. Please provide all of the below information by Monday 16th May 2022. (Unfortunately any orders received after this date may not be able to be fulfilled.)

  1. The number of ticket books you would like (each ticket book contains 6 tickets, tickets are sold for £1 each).
  2. Please state if you would like posters to help advertise the raffle. Both A2 and A3 sizes are available. Please state clearly how many of each type you’d like.
  3. Your contact details.

Please provide all of the above information or we will not be able to process your order. Your order will be sent out in the beginning of June 2022. With your order, we will also send you a cover sheet and freepost address to return with your completed ticket stubs. Please recycle any unused or unsold tickets. 

If you have any questions or need any more information please do not hesitate to contact nima.tamang@ageuk.org.uk or siana.ko@ageuk.org.uk.

Reminder: Dementia Awareness eLearning Available

A quick reminder that there are three dementia awareness eLearning modules developed by Alzheimer’s Society available to the Age UK Network until July 2022.

This is a quick reminder that there are three dementia awareness eLearning modules available to the Age UK Network. Whether you work directly with those living with dementia or not, we hope this eLearning will help to equip Age UK staff and volunteers with the skills and confidence to communicate with people living with dementia, face to face and virtually. Currently the Age UK Network’s access to these modules will end this July, so find out all the details below.

The three eLearning modules are:
  • Understanding dementia
  • Engaging with people in the early stages of dementia
  • Responding to distressed behaviours
Who can complete the Dementia eLearning?

All modules are open to everyone, all staff, and volunteers. Every learner will receive a certificate upon completion.

How were these modules developed?

These new modules were developed by Alzheimer’s Society.

When should I complete the modules?

Currently the Age UK Network’s access will end at the start of July 2022, so best to complete them sooner rather than later!

Please note, it may take up to one hour for the course to be marked as completed and for you to receive the certificate in your inbox. We thank you in advance for your patience.

How long is each module?

Each module takes approximately 45 minutes to complete. Once you start, you can save any progress and come back to it.

How do I access these modules?

If you already have an eLearning account, this course will automatically appear under the “learning” section of your dashboard in the eLearning site. You can access it straight away and no action is needed.

If you need to sign up, please complete this form.

Please note that registration to the e-learning site may take a few days. You will receive an email with your log in information once you have been registered.

What do I do once I am logged in?

If you cannot see the modules on your dashboard when you log in, you can find it either by:

  • Clicking onto ‘courses’ and then ‘Dementia eLearning’; or
  • Using the search bar on your home page by typing in ‘Age UK Dementia E-learning Programme’.

If you have any questions on access to the e-learning site, please contact: adviceunit@ageuk.org.uk

What other e-learning is available from Age UK?

For a number of years, Age UK has provided a range of e-learning options to support Partners’ delivery of training online to your staff and volunteers. This includes the Age UK e-learning Platform and Grey Matter Learning – find out all about both training platforms here.